Elastic Welding Torch Teaching Tool for Safe Path Teaching
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Solution Overview
Problem
In robotic welding, especially for large workpieces, it is difficult to teach a weld path due to limited visibility of the plasma gas nozzle, leading to potential damage to the workpiece or welding torch components during the teaching process.
Innovation Solution
A teaching tool with a connector formed by a truncated cone, made of elastic material, that fastens tool-free into the gas nozzle of the welding torch, ensuring secure attachment by friction and preventing damage, allowing easy assembly and disassembly without tools, and featuring a flange to maintain a defined distance and prevent tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a normal welding torch with non-melting electrode is used for teaching, then the welding path can be taught, but there is a risk of damaging the workpiece or welding torch components due to poor visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a teaching tool that is a simplified copy of the actual welding torch, replicating only the essential geometric features and dimensions needed for path teaching. This copy allows operators to safely teach welding paths without using the real welding torch, eliminating the risk of damage to expensive components like the non-melting electrode and gas nozzle while maintaining teaching accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The teaching tool is designed as a simple, inexpensive artifact that can be easily replaced if damaged. It serves as a disposable or temporary tool specifically for the teaching phase, after which the real welding torch is used for actual welding operations. This approach sacrifices a cheap tool to protect expensive welding equipment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a dummy contact tip is used for teaching, then visibility is improved, but the design becomes complex and requires multiple fastening elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential teaching function from the welding torch system, creating a simplified teaching tool that attaches to the gas nozzle without requiring complex fastening mechanisms. The teaching tool is designed to be mounted using simple friction-based retention, eliminating the need for screws, clips, or other complex fastening elements found in prior art solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of modifying the welding torch to include complex teaching attachments, the patent inverts the approach by creating a separate teaching tool that attaches to the existing gas nozzle. This reversal simplifies the overall design by leveraging the existing gas nozzle structure rather than adding complexity to the welding torch itself.
3Reliability
If a teaching tool with complex fastening mechanism is used, then secure attachment is achieved, but assembly and disassembly become time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The teaching tool features a self-retaining design where the elastic material automatically secures the tool to the gas nozzle through friction when inserted. No additional fastening actions are required - the tool self-secures upon insertion and can be easily removed by pulling. This eliminates the time-consuming process of screwing, clipping, or otherwise mechanically fastening the teaching tool while maintaining secure attachment during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses changes in the physical parameters of the elastic material (such as elasticity and friction coefficients) to achieve secure attachment without mechanical fastening. The material's elastic properties allow it to deform during insertion and then maintain friction-based retention, providing secure attachment that is both reliable and quickly removable.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the teaching tool is made of rigid material, then structural stability is improved, but the risk of damage to workpiece and torch increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid to elastic, using materials with appropriate elastic modulus and hardness values. This allows the teaching tool to maintain sufficient structural stability for accurate path teaching while being compliant enough to prevent damage if contact with the workpiece occurs. The elastic material can deform under load and release without causing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The teaching tool may use composite materials that combine different properties - such as an elastic base material with added fillers or coatings - to achieve both structural stability and damage prevention. The composite structure provides the necessary rigidity for accurate positioning while maintaining compliance to avoid damage to expensive workpieces and torch components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates safe and efficient teaching of the welding path without damaging the workpiece or torch components, with enhanced visibility and wear resistance through the use of graphitic carbon and fluorescent particles, and contact detection for precise path correction.
Implementation Method 1
the body is formed of an elastic material
Implementation Method 2
the teaching tool can thus be attached to the welding torch and removed again particularly quickly and easily. The elastic material of the teaching tool and the corresponding dimensioning allow the teaching tool to be held in the gas nozzle by friction
Data Source
AI summary
A teaching tool for a welding torch with a gas nozzle with an opening for a non-melting electrode with a tip, especially a plasma welding torch, used in case of teaching a welding path along a workpiece of the welding torch attached to a welding robot, includes a substantially circularly symmetric body having a free end, a welding torch has such a teaching tool and a method for teaching a welding path of a welding torch uses such a teaching tool, wherein the body is formed of an elastic material. The body includes a connector arranged opposite the free end, which connector is formed by a truncated cone for tool-free fastening in the opening of the gas nozzle of the welding torch.